Top Indian Sports to Bet On

There are a number of high-profile sporting events in India that are hugely popular to bet on. With the arrival of online betting sites, being able to place sports bets on such events has never been easier. In fact, sports betting in India is at an all-time high and this is across a range of Indian sports as well as international ones.

If you're looking for ways to bet on sport, stick with us at StarPick as we take you through all the things you need to know.

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Popular Sports to bet on in India?

There are a number of popular sports in India, but not all of them are popular sports in India's culture. There is a growing interest, not just for events held in India, but those on an international stage as well. Some of the most popular sports to bet on include cricket, horse racing, football, field hockey, and kabaddi.

Within each of these sports, you will be able to find a range of different leagues and tournaments to follow, many with a global following. With this increase in how many games in India there are to choose from, though, it's important that you choose the right betting site to bet on these Indian sports games so that you don't miss out on the fun.

The most popular sports to bet on in India

Some of the top modern games of India include:

Within each of these sports, most betting sites offer a range of different options, including various events and tournaments. The sites also give you a range of betting options and odds too, to make it all the more exciting.

What is the most popular sport in India?

Arguably the most popular sport in India is still cricket. People have long been betting on cricket and such bets remain popular within India. That's because cricket's still one of the most commonly played games within India outside of the international arena.

In fact, you're likely to find children playing it just for fun. As this sport holds such cultural significance, it's highly unsurprising that this remains one of the top India sports even today.

Can you bet on India's national sport?

It's probably pertinent to note here that while cricket is hugely popular, it's not actually India's national sport. So what is? In fact, it's field hockey that's known as India's national game. Similar to other sports played in the country, it's not actually a traditional sport, but it's been played for a long time and, in recent years, has become hugely popular and widely embraced by the country.

The early success of the hockey team has a big hand in this. And yes, there are a growing number of sites that offer hockey betting; just look at the Indian sports list found on each site to check.

Who is the top Indian athlete?

However, if we take a look at who claims the top spot among India's athletes, the answer's a little more varied. One of the most popular athletes is Sachin Tendulkar, a former cricket player who captained the team. Due to some stellar work in this role, he gained respect throughout the country. But he's not the only one to top the list.

Depending on your point of view, Mithali Raj deserves a top spot too. Captain of the women's cricket team, she became the first Indian woman to lead her team to the final of the World Cup against England.

Other notable athletes include Mary Kom, who came from humble beginnings to grab a bronze medal in boxing at the Olympics; Sania Mirza, the first Indian to win significantly in tennis; and Dhyan Chand, who was a top hockey player, helping the team win three gold medals in a row at the Olympics.

Online Cricket Betting

As cricket is one of the most popular games played in India, it will come as no surprise to find that there are plenty of sportsbooks that offer options to bet on this sport. For those of you interested in betting on this sport, here at StarPick we make it incredibly easy to find cricket betting options.

We've collected together some of the best online bookies that offer options to bet on cricket. These include:

  • Betway - offers an easy platform for beginners
  • ComeOn - great cricket wagering promotions
  • Bet365 - biggest selection of cricket games
  • DafaBet - Interactive live cricket platform
  • Unibet - Excellent virtual cricket
  • 10Cric - Best cricket odds

Horse Race Betting

Horse racing is another popular betting option in India. Finding a great horse race betting site is surprisingly easy, with a large number of sites offering this sport as an option. Some of the best sites offering horse betting include:

  • Bet365 - UK-based bookmaker with a strong focus on horse racing
  • Betway - Beginner-friendly site and good live betting
  • DafaBet - modern platform and good live streams
  • 888Sport - huge selection of horse races to choose from

Field Hockey Betting

When it comes to field hockey betting, things are pretty straightforward. Here at StarPick, we've got a number of betting sites that offer a good selection of field hockey events, not only from around the world but also in India as well.

In fact, with field hockey thriving in India (the team beat the Netherlands' in 2020), there are even more sites catering to this need. Some of the best sites at which to start your hockey betting are:

  • Bet365
  • Dafabet
  • 1xBet
  • LeoVegas
  • Unibet

Football Betting

Football betting at StarPick is possible thanks to the growing number of online sportsbooks available. Football is a very popular sport to bet on in India, due, in large part, to the younger generation.

As it's such a global favourite, there are no end of quality sportsbooks offering excellent odds and bonuses for a wide range of football events throughout the year. Some of our favorite football sportsbooks include:

  • Bet365 - One of the most popular football betting sites in the world
  • Betway - Best live football betting site
  • 1xBet - Biggest football site in India
  • 22Bet - Strong live betting platform and low commission fees

Pro Kabaddi Betting

Kabaddi is one of the few sports that's more specific to this region of the world. Unlike cricket, Kabaddi is 100% Indian! However, it's not just in India, but in the Indian subcontinent too. This sport is hugely exciting to watch, and by adding in some Kabaddi betting to the mix, things just get even better.

One of the biggest problems with betting on Kabaddi is that the focus of many sports sites was on Europe, but there's no Kabaddi there. Now though, more sportsbooks are joining the Indian market and so there is a growing list of sports in India available at bookmakers. At StarPick we've listed a few of the best bookies offering Kabaddi:

  • ComeOn - the favorite Kabaddi betting site in India
  • Dafabet - strong focus on the Indian betting market with a wide selection of Kabaddi games
  • 1xBet - good selection of unconventional sports, including Kabaddi

How to bet on the most popular sport in India

Betting on the top sports in India is straightforward. These days there are a plethora of online bookies that all offer players in India all games and events so you can choose the one that you're interested in.

This does mean that you need to decide which site you'd like to play at. This can be hard as there are numerous sites, but that's where we come in.

Choosing the best online betting site in India

When it comes to choosing the best site to bet on popular sports in India, then there are a couple of ways to go about it. First, you could search all the sites yourself, but this won't necessarily guarantee you the best outcome. The second option is to trust us and see what we at StarPick say.

When choosing the best site to bet on, we take a look at the streaming options for all the different sports, the live betting options, and whether there are good odds. It's also important to opt for a site that accepts Indian rupees. That way you avoid any pesky conversion fees.

Other areas we consider - and this goes for all sports - include the ability to register on the site quickly and easily, the bonuses and promotions offered to players, and whether the site is available via a mobile platform. Our top list of Indian betting sites makes sure that all the sites meet these criteria so that you have fun playing online in a safe and secure environment.

StarPick betting tips

To help you get ahead, we offer you the best betting tips to give you a boost when betting on the sports of India. There is a range of sports games played in India and each needs slightly different ways to bet for success. Read on to find out our specific sports of India betting tips.

Cricket tips

In cricket, the most important thing is to have competitive cricket odds. As cricket is one of the most popular sports in India, it means that it's not so easy to be successful without having a plan.

Our first tip is to join a site that has competitive odds. Most sites will actually have very similar odds in place. Any profit made from successful bets won't be overnight profit but will occur in the long run, something that's important to bear in mind with cricket.

You should consider the type of cricket bet you want to place too. Depending on whether you want to do IPL betting, more advanced wagering options or simply to place a bet on which team will win, you need to consider which site to join. Different sites are successful in different areas and we have listed the best ones above.

Horse Racing Tips

Horse racing is one of the top Indian sports. Understanding horse and jockey form is key to achieving success in these Indian sports events. By choosing the right bookies, it is possible to follow international racing as well as horse racing events held in India.

As it is one of the popular sports in India, odds are generally competitive across all platforms - though they can fluctuate, which means you will need to keep a close eye on them when placing your bets.

With the arrival of live horse racing betting, you can enjoy the thrill of the action in real-time. If you want to experience racing at the next level, this is the perfect way to do so. Live betting offers a great platform where you can watch the action unfold, changing your bets as the game goes on.

Be organised though; bets and form are provided far in advance of a race, so you have ample time to do your research and select the best bet on racing and other Indian sports.

Field Hockey Betting Tips

Optimising your hockey odds is key to being successful in your online gaming. A massive tip; you should be comparing hockey odds between betting sites. These odds always fluctuate. By looking at all the options, you make a bet at a site that gives you the biggest profit if you're successful.

Hockey odds tend to differ massively and this is especially true a few days before the game is due to start.

Another tip to consider - always back the underdog. In fact, this seems to be the golden rule when it comes to hockey. This works well with hockey in comparison to other sports, because there are fewer hockey experts out there.

Most of you know about hockey, but not the nuances of the game, meaning it's harder to predict an outcome. As such, international hockey helps you test out your prediction skills.

Football Betting Tips

Originally starting out as an 'army game', football in India quickly grew in its own right. Millions of people the world over place bets on football, which means it's not so easy to win. A betting strategy is necessary to avoid making unnecessary bets.

This includes watching football regularly, writing down predictions pre-game, and practicing your analysis. Studying the football team, history, current injuries, and playstyle is imperative to winning or losing on a bet.

Similar to other popular sports in India, the odds tend to be competitive across all betting sites. There aren't likely to be any additional boosts from checking out other sites, except when it comes to bonuses.

As football is one of the more popular sports in India, more betting sites are offering free bets on football, which we recommend you snap up - more on that right here! It can also be easy to get carried away when making football bets, so we recommend implementing a strict bankroll budget, ensuring you manage your bankroll by setting a maximum amount that you never exceed.

Unlike some of the other sports, it is never a good idea to bet on the underdog in football. Instead, select some of the better teams such as Chennaiyin FC, Northeast United FC, or Mumbai City FC, as these all have great track records - an excellent place to start if you are a beginner.

Nothing will ever work forever, so you should also consider optimising, modifying, and changing your betting strategy on football at all times to study your progress and figure out areas that can be changed to improve your win rate.

Kabaddi Betting Tips

Once you've found a great online gaming platform to place your Kabaddi bets, you need to think about the best way to go about placing your wagers. When it comes to Kabaddi, there are still limited betting options available compared to other Indian sports, but this shouldn't prevent you from placing meaningful wagers.

Most sites offer a range of Kabaddi options, including a win or a draw. It's more popular to choose to bet on goals per half, cards, or the number of targets.

For success, understand the rules of the game! This is the first, second, and third tip! Understanding Kabaddi's rules are key to success. Then, make a betting strategy. Betting on the underdog is usually a good way to go, or finding an under-rated player. It's possible to bet on pro-Kabaddi all-rounders as they always give points in one way or another.

There are so many options for Kabaddi betting, which does make some of the top tips a little more subjective. At the end of the day, luck is important!

Why you should always trust StarPick

At StarPick it's all about you! We have an excellent team of experts with years of experience in betting on the sports of India. In order to help you out when you start betting on Indian team games, we give you the very best betting tips so that you make the most of your online betting no matter which of the Indian sports you enjoy. Through our careful checking of all the different odds and betting tips available, we're able to give you the best shot at betting on different sports in India. Of course, a winning outcome is no guarantee!

Check with us whenever you want to get betting on popular sports in India!

What sport is the most popular to bet on in India?

Cricket is by far the most popular sport to bet on in India.

Which are the most popular sports in India?

The most popular sports in India are Cricket, Horse Racing, Football, Hockey, and Kabaddi.

Where can I bet on popular Indian sports?

You can choose any of the betting sites listed on StarPick, to start betting on your favorite sport.

Where can I find betting tips for Indian sports?

Here at StarPick we will always give you the latest betting tips on all of the major Indian sports.